Passive Aggression
by VanillaSlash
Summary: MaiOtome. Much to Mai's annoyance, Natsuki has perfected the art of indirectly expressing herself. MaiNat, FemPreg
1. Sweet Child of Mine

**Fic**: Passive-Aggression

**Rating**: T—it's served me so far; why not.

**Warnings**: FemPreg, AU

**Genre**: Family/Romance

**Pairing**: MaiNat; Mai Tokiha/Natsuki Kruger.

**Background**: Mai Otome Universe.

**Additional Notation**:

I'm starting to realize: oneshots are free; unleash them on the fandom and step back! No further action required. XD But I can see this one going for a few chapters at least, if Fandom wills it. Dedicated to _**Atra Ventus**_ (who always seems to be down with me, no matter how out-there the scheme) and _**TruePrime **_(whose fic Informative Night impressed me with its cute family-ness), both of who excel at practicing the art of "very cool"! Thanks guys!

* * *

"You know, you've pulled some really out to lunch stunts over the years, but this is just _impressive_, Duran!" Mai snapped, addressing herself to her offspring while slamming her hand down on the letter that had arrived from the girl's school.

The glass side table creaked ominously at the force, but remained intact. They were on the veranda when Duran had scuttled through the glass double doors with a distinctly nervous air about her, presenting Mai with an envelope sealed with wax and the crest of Fuka Academy stamped into it. It had only taken the first few sentences of the lengthy note for her mama to explode.

Either not picking up on the pure irritation exuding from her mama or else choosing to ignore it, the preteen threw up her hands angrily. "What was I supposed to do!? He kept trying to _sit_ next to me and then he tried to _hug_ me!"

"So you pushed him down a flight of stairs," Mai deadpanned.

Duran didn't answer.

Simultaneously, both arguing parties looked expectantly to an especially beautiful woman relaxing elegantly in the afternoon sun on a chaise longue. Her long white gown was tucked up past her knees, baring her flawless legs to invite the rays' warmth, and long strands of ocean-hued hair framed her lovely face.

As far as involving herself in her wife's and daughter's argument went, Natsuki seemed thoroughly disinclined. Ignoring them both, she took another sip of her tea, eyes closed.

Interpreting the disinterest correctly, Mai turned back to their child, placing her hands on her hips. "You are _so_ grounded. _And_ I want you to write a letter to Takeda-kun apologizing for breaking his arm! One more incident like this, Duran, and you may be kicked out of the academy! We'd have to transfer you _again_, and I don't know how many schools would take you after this string of incidents!"

"Oh _please_," Duran snorted. "Like _any_ Gakuenchou would refuse mother. Even my current Headmaster doesn't really want me to straighten out, never mind expel me… he wouldn't get to call in mother for conferences if that were the case—"

And this time the glass _did_ crack. "_You. _Room. _NOW_!"

Jumping at the furious tone, Duran promptly scooted from the balcony as fast as possible, accidentally slamming the delicate doors in her haste and causing Mai to scowl all the more furiously after her. The rushed footsteps eventually faded off until a second door banged shut in the distance, causing silence to reign—though not for long.

"I have no idea where she gets that vulgarity from!" the fiery-haired woman ranted, running a hand viciously through her short locks while pacing the diameter of the terrace. "We raised her better than _that_. I've even ordered Zhang-san to keep away from her while playing messenger-Otome! _Founder_… But implying _that_ about you was too much. See if I don't assign her _triple_ chores for thi—_are you even_ _listening_!?"

The last was directed at the bluenette after Mai had finally worked herself into such a rage that it required glaring at someone. When she turned to her wife, however, she found herself with a thoroughly inattentive audience.

"I _was_ listening," the musical voice of a siren answered, but bottle-green eyes remained closed. "I _stopped_ listening when you went into tunnel-vision possessive mode."

"You think I'm overreacting?" Mai demanded, gripping the polished railing behind her.

Natsuki's voice could have frozen steel. "I didn't _say_ anything."

"Oh, but if you weren't _thinking_ it, Natsuki!"

"Even if that were so, I'm allowed to keep _thoughts_."

"Oh you _are_," the redhead griped, glaring down at the ruined side table. "_Dammit_. You know, she's in entirely too much trouble for this; implying that Gakuenchou Fuka—that _he_—that _you_—!" In the end she couldn't complete the thought, and instead endeavored to seethe silently.

Seeming to infer that her wife had every intention of ruining her rest, Natsuki finally opened her eyes to level a glacial stare at the redhead. She didn't speak, but the effect was such that Mai couldn't have looked away if she'd wanted to.

Inside, the doorbell echoed through the house—the tone of bells incapable of distracting from how amazingly beautiful Natsuki looked with her long legs stretched out before her and both arms completely relaxed, lying parallel to the curves of her chest and waist that the silk sheath clung to.

Mai didn't notice the footsteps approaching until the intruder was upon them. Duran, opening the door much more carefully than she'd handled it while exiting previously, looked extremely startled and not just a little embarrassed to find her parents locked in such an intent staring contest.

"_Please_ don't jump each other in front of me!" their daughter greeted them with a plea.

Mai's gaze snapped to her, the smoldering heat of it switching sources from lust to anger. "I could have sworn I just grounded you!"

"I know, I _know_! But the doorbell kept ringing and you wouldn't _get_ it, so—"

"Duran."

The banter came to a grinding halt at the two syllables. Mai surrendered the conversation to her lover, whose brilliant emerald eyes locked steadily with dark lavender.

The day Duran was born Mai had wished that the girl had inherited her mother's gorgeous green eye color. Instead their daughter developed a unique mix of her mama's lavender and Natsuki's darker color, creating a unique indigo shade that was just as stunning. But perhaps what endeared Duran to Mai the most was her inheritance of Natsuki's luxurious cobalt locks which, on any day _but_ today, would make it absolutely impossible to stay mad at her.

Presently, the preteen flushed. "Yes, mother?" she asked, straightening up.

In contrast to Mai's dotting, from the very start Natsuki had not known quite what to make of Duran after she'd given birth to her. There were still days here and there that the older bluenette would stop mid-sentence while addressing herself to Duran and stare at either the shape of her nose or coloration of her hair—reminders that, yes, this girl was hers—before turning abruptly on her heel and wandering away. The first few times Natsuki did this had shaken Duran up terribly until Mai had caught on and straightened things out. She'd come up with several lines that their child seemed to accept well enough, though Natsuki herself never did give a direct answer as to why she did it. Still, it was easy to imagine how very insecure Duran felt—particularly these days.

"Our guest?" Natsuki prompted gently.

If anything, this seemed to make Duran more flustered. "Ah, right." She cleared her throat, opening the double doors once more and calling through them, "Please come in."

Mai could sympathize, really. Something about Natsuki—the perfection that came with everything she did—made people around her look clumsy by comparison, and oftentimes clumsy in reality. It was a shame that the same nervousness extended to Duran, who wanted Natsuki's good opinion more than anything else in the world. Hopefully the preteen could pull herself together in time to be spared the embarrassment of being seen in such a state by—

"_Yohko_-sensei!?" Mai laughed, grateful for the reprieve from being irritated with her offspring by a welcome face.

The brunette grinned without a care in greeting. "Hey, Mai-san! Natsuki-san, you look an enchantment, as always! I was just thinking that I haven't seen Duran here since she was a little kid, you know. She was such a tiny little thing, but made such a racket!" The scientist laughed, patting a beat-red Duran on the head cheerfully.

For her part, the shorter female looked as though she'd like very much for a hole to appear in the ground so that she could jump into it. Since that was a physical impossibility, Duran settled for making herself as small as possible, slinking into the corner where the balcony railing met the outer wall of the house containing the doors. Yohko didn't seem to notice.

"Well what are you doing here?" Mai hid her grin at the scene.

The scientist's smiled became rather confused. "Natsuki-san invited me, didn't she say?"

"She _didn't_." The redhead eyed her wife with displeasure, but found her grievance thoroughly ignored. Natsuki was currently brushing her snow-white gown down to her calves once more, unconcerned with her deception being called out.

"Oh… how awkward."

Mai sourly agreed. "_What_—" here she looked back and forth between Yohko and Natsuki, trying to guess the appropriate addressee of her question, "—is this visit _for_, then?"

"Just checking in, making sure everything's okay." Yohko gestured vaguely at the slight bump of Natsuki's stomach under her dress—just large enough that one had no choice but to notice it. Mai, for one, went out of her way to notice the small bulge as often as possible, a giddy feeling welling up from her heart—even if Natsuki frequently gave her a fair share of unpleasantness over the matter.

_Hormones_.

A strange hitch of half-strangled breath from the corner caused them all to direct their attention to Duran, who blushed under their prompting. But that didn't change the fact that her shoulders were quivering or that her bottom lip was worried between her teeth in an uncharacteristic display of restlessness.

Mai frowned at her, baffled. "Darling, are you alri—?"

"Yes! I'm fine, mama!" Already she was groping blindly for the door handle behind her back. "But I'm sort of grounded, so if you don't mind, I'll go be grounded in my room. Bye, Yohko-sensei! Excuse me, mother." And with that, she vanished.

The three occupants of the terrace stared at the spot that Duran had been only a few short seconds ago before Mai finally broke the silence, scratching her head. "Well, that was odd."

"She's grounded?" Yohko asked cluelessly.

"I'll go get ready, then," Natsuki intercepted smoothly, standing and stretching. The soft white fabric fluttered about her calves while the swell of her abdomen became more pronounced than before. "I appreciate you doing this, sensei. Please meet me in the bedroom," she concluded when the door was nearly shut behind her, lavender eyes following each of her movements with the utmost appreciation.

"You're welcome!" the scientist shouted happily after her. When the door clicked shut, the brunette and redhead found themselves with only one another for company, and didn't regret this in the least. Rather businesslike, the dark-violet-eyed woman clapped her hands.

"So, you know the drill," Yohko prompted, leaning back against the veranda railing expectantly. "Any particular concerns? Excessive nausea, fever, migraines?"

Taking a minute to think that over, Mai eventually shook her head. "Not that I know of. Of course, with Natsuki snarling at me in several languages that I can't understand, it's _possible_ that she's mentioned something."

Yohko clucked sympathetically. "That bad? It sounds like Duran all over again! That makes sense, of course, but at least this pregnancy you'll be backed by a little experience."

Mai pulled a face. "Unfortunately, Natsuki is _also_ armed with experience. She knows how awful these next few months are going to be and, worse, she knows it's my 'fault', so to speak."

"Ah," the scientist said intelligently.

"One morning I am going to wake up with all of my fingers cut off," Mai surmised, flexing them.

Yohko grimaced, but snickered at the innuendo. "It'll come out well enough… Duran certainly turned out lovely, didn't she?" she encouraged.

Mai snorted. "And don't I know it!" She paused, a smile tugging on her lips. "Natsuki bares beautiful children."

"She's yours too," the scientist pointed out.

"And don't I know it," Mai repeated, this time dryly. "It would have been better if she had her mother's temperament, I think. I'll admit that much."

"Oh dear." The brunette hid her smile. "What happened?"

"She pushed a boy with a crush down a set of stairs," the redhead announced.

"Well maybe she has Natsuki's temperament after all…"

"The _point_," Mai grinned, "is that I have to discipline Duran for absolutely every wrong move she makes while Natsuki is with child; she just doesn't need the added stress. I never realized before this, but Natsuki really did instill a sense of awe in that girl—for herself, anyway, and probably not intentionally."

"I find it's a side-effect of being around Natsuki-san," Yohko observed.

Mai drummed her fingers on the tabletop. "I think so too."

Down the mountain, in the heart of the capital city, the Bells of Black Valley tolled dutifully, announcing the hour to all. In reaction, the redhead brushed a stray lock from her eyes, retrieving her wife's abandoned tea before leading the brunette back inside.

"Let's not keep her waiting, then."

"Alright," the scientist agreed peaceably, closing the door behind them as Tokiha lead them through the cozy halls of Black Valley Castle.

* * *

Testing the vital signs of FemPreg!MaiNat… CLEAR! (_Defibrillates_)

(_Twitches_)

؏Aurora


	2. Circumstance

**Rating**: T—for president.

**Warnings**: FemPreg, AU

**Additional Notation**:

Not only did I catch a pulse from the FemPreg!MaiNat, but it nearly slapped me for electrocuting it! XD Isn't it great!? Thanks for the interest guys, and of course I'm glad _TruePrime _and_ Atra Ventus _are with it! Well, enough stalling:

**Disclaimer**: I don't own; I just pwn.

* * *

_Chapitre II:_

**Circumstance**

"_I am… very confused," Sara admitted, looking Natsuki up and down. Her eyes lingered notably on the small bump of the Otome's stomach, which was obvious in the close-fitting materialized Pearl robe. "Explain this one to me."_

_Emerald eyes—three shades darker with distrust—stared the blonde down with the air of a cornered wolf before her den. She didn't speak, though._

"_Don't take the blame for this, Natsuki-san," Mahya coaxed. "Just tell us who did this. Did they take advantage of you? I have a hard time believing that your good judgment allowed you to simply lie back and take this. We are your onee-samas, Natsuki-san. Please talk to us—"_

_Possibly unaware of the attempts at appealing to Kruger's _confidence_ in the elder Otome, Miss Maria interrupted the gentle prodding with the loud bang of a fist making contact with solid wood. The room abruptly tensed. "Miss Kruger, are you aware of the fact that you may very well be expelled in complete disgrace for this!? You are pregnant; you are seventeen! Now tell us the second party involved in this disaster before we assume you do not _know_!"_

_Natsuki glared. "I _don't_." Her last intention was to drag Mai down with her when the redhead had no idea what was going on. Hell, _Natsuki_ didn't know the specifics of how this had happened; the biology made no sense. However, there was no denying that the bump in her stomach was growing by the day._

_Natsuki had never been so terrified in her entire life. _

_Miss Maria had unknowingly echoed her thoughts of the past few weeks. Her situation was frightening and she already knew that children were not easy to get along with—never mind raise. _

_Even aside from that, the—Natsuki couldn't even think the word without cringing—_pregnancy_ would open an entirely new front of enemies. _

_Some, like Yohko-sensei, whose scholarly excitement left something to be desired tact-wise, were well-meaning but curious. They were willing to poke and prod Natsuki until something that wasn't supposed to be poked or prodded burst, and even then… well, what an excellent opportunity to start the entire pregnancy over from scratch to observe the biological steps?_

_Others, Miss Maria a forerunner of the group, cared very little for how the entire thing had come to be. Instead they were furious that the shoo-in to succeed the Gakuenchou upon graduation had been taken out of the running. And while they didn't seem to know what to do about their displeasure at the moment, Natsuki was sure that their final conclusion wouldn't bode well for her._

_The point was that the number of people Natsuki felt could be trusted was shrinking rapidly._

_The First Column blew a breath. "Well it seems we have reached an impasse… You may go for now, Natsuki-san."_

_Without another word, the second Pearl rose and exited, closing the door behind her with a smart _snap_._

* * *

It happened more often than ever lately: reflecting on the past.

Natsuki shook her hair out of her face, the long sheet of satin cobalt glimmering in the sun as passed through the corridor. Despite the added weight to carry, the bluenette moved smoothly.

It was so funny sometimes how easy it was to pretend that none of it was happening.

Somehow she'd always thought that at this stage in her life she would be seated behind the Gakuenchou's desk at Garderobe, running half of Earl and managing future generations of Otome. For awhile it had been nearly a reality; they'd all but handed her the gem when…

She couldn't bring herself to regret Mai, though. The beautiful, warm, loving woman to whom she now gave her allegiance and life had softened her icy heart and saved her spirit. If it hadn't been for Mai, sure she'd have her gem but the cold would have choked her core.

No, Natsuki would never regret Mai or the thousand and one things she felt for her wife. But if there was one thing Natsuki couldn't stand it was the uncontrollable, and that was exactly what had bound their lives together.

The emerald-eyed woman still couldn't quite figure out what to do with Duran.

On one hand, Natsuki could make her brilliant; could teach her to be respectable, responsible, and to have the entire world focus its attention so solely on her that Duran would outshine anyone. And for all the preteen's antics at school, her grades certainly showed her parentage.

Sure Natsuki could give Duran _success_… she just wondered if she'd ever be able to express the same unconditional love that showed every time Mai looked at their daughter.

Meanwhile, at the juncture of the entertainment section of the castle and the residential, the bluenette selected a left turn that would take her back to the master bedroom. It just so happened that a blur of blue, orange, and brown rounded the corner at exactly the same time—the only warning Natsuki had before it slammed into her.

The bluenette jumped back, one hand pressed instinctively over her stomach and the other clutching a nearby gothic stone column for balance.

_Nonono, don't fall_.

That was the last thing she needed: something to startle her into early labor. Or maybe Mai coming to look for her and completely loosing her head upon seeing Natsuki on the floor with Duran piled haphazardly on top of her, mortally crushing Natsuki's stomach between them.

Fortunately, that wasn't the case. Through much teetering Natsuki was able to keep on her feet—which, less fortunately, wasn't also true for Duran. The girl stared up at her from her scattered position on the floor as though the fatal incident had actually occurred, waiting anxiously for her mother to collapse in far-too-early contractions.

"Duran," Natsuki exhaled.

"S-sorry mother!" the girl finally came to life, scrambling to her feet. Whether or not she noticed the textbook and papers scattered everywhere from her fall was unclear. Her attention was riveted on Natsuki, caught between eagerness to speak with her mother and horror at what she'd done; _almost_ done.

"Be careful not to shoot around corners like that," the older bluenette chided, carefully releasing her hold on the pillar.

"I'm sorry," Duran repeated, hopping oddly from one foot to the other as though there were hot coals beneath her. Natsuki watched her do this with a sudden awareness of a dull pounding increasing between her eyes; a migraine.

Duran. It was impossible for her to stare at the girl very long; like gazing at the sun or crossing your eyes for a long while. Natsuki didn't know how else to think of her sometimes except…

_Duran_: the first mistake she'd ever made.

She really wished the thought would go away.

* * *

"_Move."_

"_No." Mai engaged the deadbolt, a stubborn edge to her voice as she planted her feet squarely before the door. Her white first Pearl uniform glowed in the sunlight. "We're going to talk about this, Natsuki, so make yourself comfortable." _

_Natsuki proceeded to adopt the hardest defense to pull of: playing dumb. "What are you talking about?"_

_Mai let out a Zipang-based swear. "It's over, Natsuki, I know! Everyone knows! When the hell were you planning on telling me!?"_

"_There was no sense in both of us being expelled for something neither of us intended to happen," the bluenette answered evenly. "Besides… I don't expect anything from you."_

"_You don't expect—? Natsuki, what the hell!?" The redhead gripped her friend's shoulder. "So you were going to let them think you were _sleeping around—_?"_

"—_It was a _mistake_," Natsuki spoke loudly over her, forcing the redhead away. "Too much sake. An accident that never should have happened."_

"_Didn't you hear me that night?" Mai demanded, tightening her grip. "I said 'I love you'!"_

"_Of course you loved me then," Natsuki spat, squirming in the redhead's grip. "You were screwing me into the sheets!"_

_The bluenette broke free as Mai's arms went limp with surprise. Natsuki didn't blame her—had in fact counted on the shock factor associated with her swearing. Not that it made her statement any less true._

"_You think I said that because…" Mai shook her head in denial. "Natsuki, I'm more honest drunk than I am sober, for Founder's sake! I love you!"_

"_Stop it, Mai." Natsuki pushed past her with uncharacteristic annoyance. She yanked the door open. "Don't talk to me about this anymore. Keep your mouth shut and I'll make sure you graduate."_

_That was the first time she slammed the door._

_

* * *

_

"…Mother?"

Natsuki hummed in acknowledgement, raising a slender brow. "Get off the floor, Duran."

The girl quickly stood, leaving her schoolwork spread across the hallway. Her indigo gaze flickered anxiously between her mother's eyes and her stomach. "When… when is it d-due?"

"Awhile… Months," she amended after a moment of thought. They'd know after that afternoon.

"Will you still…" _like me?_

"Yes?"

_Will you like it more than me?_

"Duran?"

_Will mama love it more if it has your eyes?_

Natsuki waited.

"…Nothing." The schoolgirl bent to gather her things, organized them into a neat pile and gathered them into her arms before standing. Her hair carefully curtained her face the entire time. "Again, I'm sorry mother." And she scuttled off.

Natsuki watched her rush off, green eyes glinting and mind only half on the strange conversation she'd just partaken in.

_I'll do better this time. There won't be any mistakes._

Wrapping her arms around her chest, the Otome glided away.

* * *

_"I can't believe she isn't dead," Mai murmured, sighing in relief into Natsuki's sweet-smelling hair before pulling away. "I thought for sure… well…" She didn't complete the thought, choosing instead to lavish attention on the tiny thing in her hands with delight._

_"She isn't crying."_

_"What?" Mai looked baffled as she glanced from her lover to their child. The little thing was still slick from birth and rather gross looking, in Natsuki's opinion; but, as usual, the redhead seemed to completely oblivious, going so far as to coo stupidly at the silently blinking newborn._

_Though Natsuki didn't answer, lavender eyes lit up with sparks. "Do you want to hold her?"_

_The bluenette sighed, pressing her head into the pillows. "I'm tired."_

_"Natsuki—"_

_"Leave me alone, Mai."_

_"But Natsuki!"_

_"She's shivering. Get some towels or something. And you're holding her wrong. Didn't you listen in health class?"_

_Mai flushed. "Well, I never thought _I'd_ need to know any of that!"_

_Natsuki didn't argue the point. "Just keep her warm." With that, Natsuki closed her eyes._

_"Aren't we going to name her?"_

_"It can wait."_

_"But—"_

_"Mai!" Emerald eyes snapped open. Mai edged away from the positively furious expression there. "I'm _exhausted_. I don't want to _hold_ it; I don't want to _name_ it. Just leave me _alone_."_

_The redhead tactically backed off, startled at the vehemence behind the words. It didn't take long for Natsuki to fade into unconsciousness; her breathing slowed, leaving Mai to clean their daughter with a soft, warm towel. When that was finally done, the curvy woman eyed the baby speculatively and was thrilled when the child eyed her right back._

_"You're so smart!" Mai cooed delightedly. Indigo irises blinked at her, a little tuff of cerulean hair perched on her head. "Don't worry! Natsuki will _love_ you." She pressed a kiss to the child's forehead._

_…The exact moment in which one bond was rendered unbreakable and the other made very fragile indeed._

* * *

I hope no one's pissed yet. Natsuki isn't really a royal jerk, and I hope she isn't come off as one. She just doesn't want to repeat the same mistakes she made with Duran (whose pregnancy was positively riddled with them, as you're starting to see). In the meantime, I'm having tons of fun with family drama! Je l'aime! (_Pretends not to notice that SIA hasn't been updated yet… _O.o)

_À bientôt!_

_؏Aurora_


	3. A Lack of Instinct

**Rating**: T—for the win, not for the fail.

**Warnings**: FemPreg, AU

**Additional Notation**:

So, people had opinions on Natsuki last chapter: some people said she was royal jerk with bad attitude to spare, some indicated that Natsuki is used to doing things perfectly but there's only so much she can do when so many other variables affect the outcome of the kid. One person claimed something to the effect of: bitch please, Natsuki can do what she wants! (YEUH! XD) I salute this person for their ingenuity (and hilariousness), but to throw a check in there, I figure I should at least say that I love Natsuki tons but she's _human_ and a _perfectionist_—two things that don't always work out together.

I'm posting this just as I'm heading out the door to visit _ma chère __cousine_ Estée down south… Hello unhappy plane ride! X.X Happy summer vacation to whom it may apply!

**Disclaimer**: I hereby decree, in this fine institution, that I own naught of Mai Otome!

* * *

_Chapitre III:_

**A Lack of Instinct**

_Mai couldn't have imagined things deteriorating this fast._

"_Natsuki," Mai said tiredly, shaking the bluenette once more. "Duran needs to nurse."_

"_Leave me alone," Natsuki sighed though her exhaustion, barely able to move. _

"_Natsuki, she's getting sick!" A horribly pathetic little cough underscored this statement followed shortly by the sound of Mai murmuring comfort to their child. Emerald eyes refused to open._

_Natsuki heard Mai groan and couldn't muster the energy to feel sorry or concerned for either the distress or weakness. The sound of fabric being shifted around came directly from her right, and a weight sunk onto the bed; the sheets disappeared, causing Natsuki to shiver. She couldn't summon the motivation to search for them, though. Only when a hand began dragging her nightdress off over her head did she show any reaction—in this case a half-hearted hiss._

"_Come on, love, please?"_

_Regardless of what she said, the gown was gone; the silk sheets caressed her bare skin and the cold bit into it. Now her bra was being tugged off too; she displayed her disapproval with a vague sneeze-like noise. Another sigh came from overhead as her arms were angled away from her torso and then, quite abruptly, something hot nibbled at her chest._

"_Mai, I cannot _begin_ to tell you how not in the mood I am."_

"_Natsuki," there was a note of hysteria in her tones; "you'd better get in the mood, then! This is important!" _

_It occurred to the bluenette that though the voice was coming from somewhere above her, the suckling hadn't paused. Dragging her eyes open with no small amount of effort, the room took focus after several seconds of blank staring. Mai's fiery mop of beautiful red hair came into view, as did the deep bruise-purple shadows under her love's eyes, which were rimmed red. Moving her line of sight down, Natsuki stopped on a small doll that had been placed across her chest… but that wasn't right…_

_It was moving._

"_Natsuki," Mai said very cautiously, and the bluenette couldn't even begin to imagine what expression her face had twisted into to make the normally carefree Otome look at her like _that_. "Love, do you need a minute?"_

_When her lover didn't answer, the redhead moved slowly to reclaim the nursing baby—as though anything faster might trigger… something; Natsuki couldn't guess what. The lavender-eyed woman was just lifting the child away when the little girl positively _screeched_. _

_Tears, noise, flailing—the infant was desperately attempting to escape her second mother's grasp, turning watery indigo eyes on Natsuki, who felt her features turn from _something_ to surprised. _

"_Gods, fine!" Mai snapped with uncharacteristic irritation, relinquishing her hold on the baby. She swiped the back of her hand over her scratchy, dry eyes to keep them from closing. The purple-black bags were more pronounced than ever._

_Meanwhile the child buried her head in Natsuki's chest—nursing and curling its small body around the warm skin of her stomach. Fistfuls of sleek hair were clutched in the tiny fists, oblivious to the unnatural stillness of the body under it or the seething mess that she'd left hovering over them both._

"_I've been awake for forty-eight hours," the redhead bit out. "I am going to sleep."_

"_With that attitude, I won't miss you."_

_Mai looked prepared to snarl something vicious when her eyes dropped to the nameless girl between them. Half sighing, half groaning, the redhead dropped beside Natsuki and gave a rather weak imitation of her usual passionate kiss. The emerald-eyed female wanted to ask teasingly if it was her breath that deterred her, but the soft inhale-exhale pattern of Mai's respiration had deepened; she was asleep._

* * *

The exam was already over when the subject was broached, which was probably for the best since the very short conversation set Natsuki entirely on edge—which in turn made Mai very protective—which in turn endangered Yohko's life.

In any case, when the scientist finally snapped off her rubber gloves and gave voice to the question, she seemed only vaguely prepared for the hostility it received. "Natsuki-san, I've been told to ask—and you, Mai-san—about… well, the _physics_ behind all this, I suppose. They want to kno—"

"Who is 'they', specifically?" Mai immediately interrupted at the exact moment that Natsuki tensed.

"Science, in a general sense; it doesn't matter," Yohko gave two vague answers and dismissed the question quickly. "Wouldn't you rather know how this occurs? You don't want another mistake—"

The atmosphere became electric.

"'Another' implies that there was one preceding it," Natsuki said very evenly. "What mistake are you referring to?"

"Duran—" She didn't get to finished the sentence because at the moment Mai stood abruptly.

"You're walking on _thin ice_, sensei."

The brunette quickly realized her error and backtracked. "I apologize." She too got to her feet. She did look sorry. "I didn't mean… well, I guess that's your answer. It wasn't supposed to come out like this."

Like a room filled with natural gas, it would take only one spark to ignite the air.

"I think you should go," Mai said slowly. Natsuki remained seated, looking very distracted.

Yohko bowed. "I'm only the messenger… It really _was_ nice seeing you two again; and Duran, too."

Mai's attention was no longer on the scientist, though. "You know where the door is," she said somewhat rudely.

There was a very tense moment in which Yohko's gaze slid from Mai to Natsuki, then back again. Eventually she made her exit wordlessly, the door closing behind her with a soft click. The noise level took a swift upturn.

"You _certainly_ didn't have much to say to that insult!" Mai scowled, slamming her fist down on the vanity nearby.

"You're being too sensitive," the emerald-eyed woman murmured, tugging on a strand of her hair.

"And if Duran were in the room, Natsuki? If she heard herself being called a 'mistake'! Would I still be 'too sensitive' _then_?"

"Duran's too smart to let herself be upset—"

Two words in the Zipang tongue, "—Natsuki!"

"What do you mean about 'lies'?"

"You can't _stand_ her," Mai clarified angrily; the truth, at last. "You really can't, can you? Well, if we're to have a second child, Natsuki, I need to know what so revolts you about our first." She looked very close to tears; indeed her voice cracked when she said: "She's _us_, Natsuki. She's the two of us combined. Why don't you—l-like her?"

For once, Mai observed bitterly, Natsuki didn't deny it. The bluenette didn't immediately assert her standard answer that nothing was wrong and 'you're thinking strange things.' Instead Natsuki seemed to weigh her words very carefully before opening her mouth, and the redhead felt very dizzy when she spoke.

"She looks so much like me, Mai," the emerald-eyed woman finally sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"That's a complement."

"No. It's not."

Lavender eyes narrowed. "Stop it, Natsuki. I say the more she looks like you, the better. You're so beautiful and so is Duran… but you can't look her in the eye. I want to know why that is."

"It's not…" Natsuki massaged her forehead with a grimace. "It's not that. Not really about what she looks like or what I look like… We were just so _young_, Mai," she murmured, tracing her bottom lip with the pad of her forefinger. "What if we were wrong in how we raised her…? This stunt with Takeda-kun can only prove how unstable she is. I tried—really, I _tried_—but let's not kid ourselves; I have the biology, but you have the instinct."

* * *

"_Moth'r?" a hesitant voice chimed from the doorway. _

"_One moment." The bluenette slipped a dark blue silk sheath over her emerald lingerie, smoothing the soft fabric over her thighs. Placing the used clothes in the basket on her way to the door, Natsuki twisted the handle open. _

_She hadn't known exactly what she'd expected to greet her, but Duran dressed in pajamas and wringing her hands anxiously with strands of hair sticking up in odd directions wasn't it. The two stared at each other with equal apprehension for a handful of seconds. _

"_Duran; um…" Natsuki tugged at the ends of her hair behind her back to hide her uncertainty. She was young—_too_ young; certainly not much older than nineteen. "Do you need to… nurse?" True, their daughter had for the last few months pursued Mai in the kitchen rather than seek Natsuki out for meals, but the queen couldn't think of any other reason for this strange encounter. _

"_N-no! Of course not! Nursing's what _babies_ do," Duran protested quickly, averting her eyes. "I… It's dark in my room."_

"_You're mama left for Zipang a few hours ago," Natsuki said blankly. "Do you want to… call her?"_

"_Um—"_

_Anything the girl had to say was cut off by another shot of loud thunder splitting the air in two. A storm had been brewing all day, but the defining noise hadn't started until exactly the time that the queen decided to turn in for the night. Natsuki nearly groaned, glancing out the hallway window opposite her door, but restrained the childish urge. _How am I going to sleep through _that_?

_A muffled little sound caused Natsuki's eyes to snap abruptly back. _

_Duran, who had been holding herself admirably together, came thoroughly apart at the sharp thunder. Tears gushed from her eyes and her entire form shook like any of the leaves outside. She looked smaller than Natsuki had seen her at dinner, causing something vague and undefined to tug at the Otome's heartstrings._

_The feeling was too unfamiliar… disconcerting; too _close_. _

_She didn't like it._

_Natsuki lashed out._

"_Stop crying," she said coolly; the prettiest thing under the sun, but also the iciest. "It isn't going to make the rain stop or the thunder less loud. It's a storm, and it will pass."_

_A choked-off gasp was muffled by Duran's lips, but just as deafening as the noises outside or the stricken expression on her daughter's face that spoke volumes and—dammit_!_—Natsuki _hadn't meant to do that_!_

_But she couldn't… _couldn't_ stop._

"_You're a young lady." No. No she wasn't. _Natsuki_ was a young lady… But maybe, if Duran was a little older, then Natsuki could be a little older too—_

"_Sorry, mother," Duran whispered, scrubbing hurriedly at her eyes. "I… I'm sure you're tired. I'm going to bed now."_

_Another spark in Natsuki's heart; this one painful and wretched._

"_Be brave, Duran," she said at last._

_The child bit her lip resolutely, brilliant determination in her fearless eyes. Duran dashed back down the dark hallway once more without having ever set foot inside her mother's rooms._

_Natsuki stared after her for a handful of seconds before slamming the door shut and sliding down it a mental wreck._

"_Be brave, Duran… because my care is going to be the most crippling thing you'll ever face."_

_

* * *

_

"What are you talking about, Natsuki?" Mai finally asked flatly. "Everyone knows that girl loves you—"

"I'm _killing_ her, Mai!" Natsuki spoke over her, furious that her wife couldn't see it. "I'm killing her, and I don't know how to _stop_!"

"You're a little reserved," the redhead brushed off her concerns, "but that isn't going to kill Duran."

Emerald eyes stared her down incredulously. "Are you blind or just stupid?"

Mai snapped her fingers in sudden recognition. "This is the hormones again, right?"

Natsuki wanted nothing more or less than to hiss at her wife. Sensing something of this, Mai grinned and continued, "You don't disappoint Duran, Natsuki. Sure, maybe she has her moments during which she'd like nothing more than to never see us again, but she's nearly a teenager!"

When Natsuki didn't respond, the violet-eyed woman switched topics. "In any case, things are set for our trip to Garderobe. Their international ball is tomorrow."

Natsuki got wordlessly to her feet and exited, taking care to shut the door with a passive-aggressive _snap_.

* * *

"_But you promised!" Duran protested, stamping her foot unhappily. "You said you'd come with us, remember?"_

_Her mother sighed, massaging her temples from where she lay reclined on the veranda chair. Inside they could hear the movements of Mai humming to herself while packing things for Natsuki's trip to Windbloom and pretending not to notice the argument taking place outside._

"_You should know that I didn't plan on being this sick, Duran," the bluenette rebuked calmly, dropping her hands to her lap. "I'm just going to see Yohko-sensei to make sure I'm okay—which I will be," she added hastily when worry flashed across her daughter's face. "And anyway, you should get used to me not always being here. Your mama will be going with you."_

"_But you said you'd come with me for my first Southern Plateau nations' conference!"_

"_Duran…"_

"_Natsuki!" Mai popped her head out from inside the house. "Oh, Duran darling! Say goodbye now because the car is here."_

_Sulking, the indigo-eyed girl muttered something vague under her breath, brushing past both her parents in an uncharacteristic show of defiance and leaving the door ajar. Mai stared after her gapingly before turning to her wife._

"_What a pleasant girl," she said sarcastically, plopping herself down near the middle of Natsuki's lounge chair. "Really, we should have another one like her."_

_Emerald eyes completed a spherical circuit before the two kissed, long and leisurely. Eventually Mai pulled back with a playful pop that didn't match the longing in her eyes. "I really wish I could go with you. And I really _really_ wish you had said something about this before! Being sick in the mornings, unable to keep anything down… I just don't know what else to do. Promise me you'll get better?"_

"_Stop this," Natsuki sighed, nudging the redhead off the chair to indicate that she needed to get up. On her feet, she stretched. "It's probably nothing. I wouldn't even go if you didn't insist."_

"_Well I do," Mai sniffed, shooing her lover inside and towards the front door, shouldering a suitcase as she went. When they reached the dark car with tinted windows, she tossed the bag in its trunk before addressing herself to the driver pleasantly._

"_Take care of her." _Or I'll take care of you.

_Natsuki sighed as her escort jumped and shuffled away. "Was that necessary?"_

"_Damn right it was!" Mai pressed her lips to her love's forehead. "See you really soon." _I love you so much.

"_Alright." _I'll be okay… and I love you as well.

* * *

I take my tea with a little bit of drama, thanks! ^o- Also, I epic won in university finals. Yay, Garderobe on deck! Hi MaiNat, you lovely pairing, you! (_Makes kissy face_) I missed you so much!

_(Snugs)_

؏_Aurora_


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